€130 Million and Galatasaray Still Said “No Thanks” — Osimhen Isn’t Going Anywhere
Somebody tell Al-Hilal that “no” means no. According to Sky Sport Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Galatasaray were offered a staggering €130 million for Victor Osimhen via an intermediary acting on behalf of the Saudi giants and turned it down flat, without even opening negotiations. The verbal proposal was submitted through intermediaries on Wednesday, but Galatasaray turned it down and informed the Saudi club that Osimhen is not available for transfer.
The Numbers Behind the Snub
Let’s be clear about how big this offer actually was. A €130m offer would have been one of the biggest transfer fees ever paid for an African player, almost eclipsing the amount Real Madrid spent on Yan Diomande. That’s not a lowball bid by any stretch that’s the kind of money that makes most clubs at least pick up the phone.
Except this isn’t most clubs. Galatasaray’s previous stance had suggested a sufficiently large offer could potentially lead to negotiations, with reports placing their valuation of the striker in the €130m-€150m range. So on paper, this offer landed right in the zone that should have opened a conversation. Instead, Galatasaray shut the door immediately.
Why Galatasaray Won’t Budge
This isn’t really about the money it’s about what Osimhen represents to the club right now. The biggest reason behind Galatasaray’s refusal to engage is their belief that Osimhen is too important to the next stage of the club’s ambitions. Since arriving in Istanbul, the striker has scored 59 goals in 74 appearances, establishing himself as a central part of Galatasaray’s attack.</cite> That kind of output doesn’t get sold off easily, no matter the fee attached.
There’s also a title-race dimension to this. Selling him would provide enormous financial resources, but it would also create an immediate problem, particularly with domestic rivals strengthening Fenerbahçe have added major attacking talent, while Trabzonspor have raised expectations with the arrival of Mohamed Salah. With the Süper Lig getting more competitive by the window, losing your top striker for cash isn’t exactly a strategic upgrade.
Money-wise, the club has already sunk serious investment into keeping him. Galatasaray paid Napoli €75m for the striker and committed to paying him €15m net per season, meaning their total investment has already comfortably exceeded €100m. And on the pitch, he’s been worth every cent Osimhen has delivered back-to-back Turkish Super Lig titles, scoring 26 goals to win the Golden Boot in his first full campaign, before adding another 15 league goals last season despite several injuries.
This Isn’t Al-Hilal’s First Try
The Saudi club’s pursuit of Osimhen has been a running subplot for over a year now. Al-Hilal’s interest stretches back to before his permanent move to Istanbul, having previously come close to signing him. Al Hilal also tried to sign him last summer, when they reportedly offered Napoli €65m plus €5m in bonuses, before Galatasaray ultimately won the race after being impressed by his loan spell. There was even talk of them clearing squad space specifically for him Al Hilal has reportedly started trying to convince Osimhen to join while simultaneously working on a possible departure for Karim Benzema, wanting to part ways with the French striker to open up a place in the squad, with Sky Sport describing the plan as “Benzema out, Osimhen in.”
And it’s not just Al-Hilal watching from the sidelines. Several top European clubs, including Barcelona, Arsenal and Manchester United, have also been chasing the Nigerian striker. Osimhen has become one of the most heavily linked strikers in world football right now and Galatasaray keep saying no to everyone.
The Plot Twist: Galatasaray’s Own Shopping Spree
While rejecting nine-figure bids for their own star, Galatasaray haven’t exactly been sitting still in the market themselves. The Turkish club have made an official 45 million euros offer to Arsenal for Gabriel Martinelli, who is currently Galatasaray’s top transfer priority. Turning down €130m for one attacker while actively chasing another isn’t a small statement it’s Galatasaray signaling they’re building up, not cashing out.
Wahala Network Take
€130 million verbally offered, and Galatasaray didn’t even blink. That’s the kind of confidence that comes from knowing exactly what you have back-to-back league titles, a Golden Boot, and a striker who’s already paid back most of his transfer fee in silverware alone. Al-Hilal might have to look elsewhere for their No. 9, because Istanbul isn’t letting this one go.
